One with the Wild
by Sagebrainy
Summary: Kohina is a loner who's never had a real family, and meets Seedpaw and Lilypaw of ThunderClan one day while hunting. They seemed excited for her arrival...
1. Found

**A/N: This list was copy/pasted from wiki. I updated it, but some info might be off.**

Allegiances:

ThunderClan

**Leader**:**Brambleclaw**-dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**Deputy**:**Squirrelflight**-dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Medicine Cat**:**Jayfeather**-gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Warriors**:**Graystripe**-long-haired gray tom

**Dustpelt**-dark brown tabby tom

**Sandstorm**-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

**Brackenfur**-golden brown tabby tom

**Cloudtail**-long-haired white tom with blue eyes

**Brightheart**-white she-cat with ginger patches

**Millie**-striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Thornclaw**-golden brown tabby tom

**Leafpool**-light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

**Spiderleg**-long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

**Birchfall**-light brown tabby tom

**Whitewing**-white she-cat with green eyes

**Berrynose**-cream-colored tom

**Hazeltail**-small gray-and-white she-cat

Mentor to Lilypaw

**Mousewhisker**-gray-and-white tom

**Cinderheart**-gray tabby she-cat

**Lionblaze**-golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Foxleap**-reddish tabby tom

Mentor to Cherrypaw

**Icecloud**-white she-cat

**Toadstep**-black-and-white tom

**Rosepetal**-dark cream she-cat

Mentor to Molepaw

**Briarlight**-dark brown she-cat

**Blossomfall**-tortoiseshell and white she-cat

**Bumblestripe**-very pale gray tom with black stripes

Mentor to Seedpaw

**Dovewing**-pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Ivypool**-silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

**Queens**:**Sorreltail**-tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Lilypaw, a dark tabby she-kit with white patches, and Seedpaw, a very pale ginger she-kit)

**Daisy**-cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

**Poppyfrost**-tortoiseshell she-cat (mother to Cherrypaw, a ginger she-cat, and Molepaw, a brown-and-cream tom)

**Elders**:  
**Purdy**-plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

ShadowClan

**Leader**:**Blackstar**-large white tom with one jet-black forepaw**Deputy**:**Rowanclaw**-ginger tom**Medicine Cat**:**Littlecloud**-very small tabby tom**Warriors**:**Oakfur**-small brown tom

**Smokefoot**-black tom

**Toadfoot**-dark brown tom

**Applefur**-mottled brown she-cat

**Crowfrost**-black-and-white tom

**Ratscar**-brown tom with long scar across his back

**Snowbird**-pure white she-cat

**Tawnypelt**-tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**Olivenose**-tortoiseshell she-cat

**Owlclaw**-light brown tabby tom

**Shrewfoot**-gray she-cat with black feet

**Scorchfur**-dark gray tom

**Redwillow**-mottled brown-and-ginger tom

**Tigerheart**-dark brown tabby tom

**Dawnpelt**-cream-furred she-cat

**Pinenose**-black she-cat

**Ferretclaw**-cream-and-gray tom

**Starlingwing**-ginger tom**Queens**:**Kinkfur**-tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

**Ivytail**-black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat**Elders**:**Cedarheart**-dark gray tom

**Tallpoppy**-long-legged light brown tabby she-cat

**Snaketail**-dark brown tom with tabby-striped tail

**Whitewater**-white she-cat with long fur, blind in one eye

WindClan

**Leader**:**Onestar**-brown tabby tom**Deputy**:**Ashfoot**-gray she-cat**Medicine Cat**:**Kestrelflight**-mottled gray tom**Warriors**:**Crowfeather**-dark gray tom

**Owlwhisker**-light brown tabby tom  
**Apprentice, Whiskerpaw** (light brown tom)

**Whitetail**-small white she-cat

**Nightcloud**-black she-cat

**Gorsetail**-very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

**Weaselfur**-ginger tom with white paws

**Harespring**-brown-and-white tom

**Leaftail**-dark tabby tom with amber eyes

**Antpelt**-brown tom with one black ear

**Emberfoot**-gray tom with two dark paws

**Heathertail**-light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes  
**Apprentice, Furzepaw** (gray-and-white she-cat)

**Breezepelt**-black tom with amber eyes  
**Apprentice, Boulderpaw** (large pale gray tom)

**Sedgewhisker**-light brown tabby she-cat

**Swallowtail**-dark gray she-cat

**Sunstrike**-tortoiseshell she-cat with large white mark on her forehead**Apprentices**:**Whiskerpaw**-light brown tom

**Furzepaw**-gray-and-white she-cat

**Boulderpaw**-large pale gray tom**Elders**:**Webfoot**-dark gray tabby tom

**Tornear**-tabby tom

RiverClan

**Leader**:**Mistystar**-gray she-cat with blue eyes**Deputy**:**Reedwhisker**-black tom  
**Apprentice, Hollowpaw** (dark brown tabby tom)**Medicine Cat**:**Mothwing**-dappled golden she-cat  
**Apprentice, Willowshine** (gray tabby she-cat)**Warriors**:**Graymist**-pale gray tabby she-cat  
**Apprentice, Troutpaw** (pale gray tabby she-cat)

**Mintfur**-light gray tabby tom

**Icewing**-white she-cat with blue eyes

**Minnowtail**-dark gray she-cat  
**Apprentice, Mossypaw** (brown-and-white she-cat)

**Pebblefoot**-mottled gray tom  
**Apprentice, Rushpaw** (light brown tabby tom)

**Mallownose**-light brown tabby tom

**Robinwing**-tortoiseshell-and-white tom

**Petalfur**-gray-and-white she-cat

**Grasspelt**-light brown tom**Apprentices**:**Hollowpaw**-dark brown tabby tom

**Willowshine**-gray tabby she-cat

**Troutpaw**-pale gray tabby she-cat

**Mossypaw**-brown-and-white she-cat

**Rushpaw**-light brown tabby tom**Queens**:**Duskfur**-brown tabby she-cat

**Mosspelt**-tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes**Elders**:**Dapplenose**-mottled gray she-cat

**Pouncetail**-ginger-and-white tom

Kohina stalked up behind the shrew, listening mainly for other cats. She wasn't stupid, she'd smelled the scent markers, but she was _so_ hungry. She could catch one or two rodents before leaving. Kohina had already stretched her one moon limit to each location. But these woods were so full of prey in Long-Sun and New-Leaf. She pounced quickly, stopping a squeal in its tracks.

Just as she was finishing her little meal, she heard the slightest rustle of fur on bark and bolted away with the shrew clutched tight in her jaws. Kohina sprinted to her little den a short ways outside the scent markers. Crouching in the camouflaged opening, Kohina glared into the forest. The cats she'd heard had shown themselves, and seemed to be discussing something.

Kohina withdrew farther into her den and finished the shrew, keeping an eye on the entrance. She heard mews outside, and crouched beside the back exit. She tensed her muscles to spring as soon as the unfamiliar cats came in. However, Kohina hadn't heard the other cat creeping silently down that exact exit.

Kohina shrieked when sharp claws lodged themselves in her back, tearing into her skin. She bucked, slamming the other cat into the ceiling. The action jarred her spine, but at least the other cat had let her go. Kohina flung herself at the downed cat, cutting a narrow slash down her face before dashing out of the den.

She didn't get far, though, when the she-cat had caught up with her._ Run, Kohina_, she thought to herself. Kohina picked up the pace, practically flying across the meadow. Even so, the she-cat overtook her eventually, leaping onto her back again and pinning her to the ground. Kohina flinched as her soft belly hit the ground, forcing the air out of her.

"Who are you? You don't smell like a Clan cat!" The strange she-cat sounded surprised.

"What's a Clan cat?" Kohina asked curiously. She could almost feel the she-cat's confusion.

Another she-cat responded, "Seedpaw, she's probably a loner. Or a kittypet, like Firestar was." She sounded excited.

"Are you a kittypet?" Seedpaw stepped off of Kohina, sniffing her ear, "or are you a loner, because you don't smell anything like two-legs."

"What's a kittypet?" Kohina shook herself out, acknowledging that the danger had passed for awhile. Two-legs must be the pink things that walk around on their back legs, and seem to have an odd fascination with cats.

"A kittypet is a cat that lives with two-legs." the other she-cat sat herself down beside Seedpaw. "By the way, my name is Lilypaw, nice to meet you."

"My name is Kohina. And no, I'm not a kittypet. I guess I'm a loner, but I've never had a chance to be anything else." She couldn't say these young cats seemed overly dangerous, so Kohina decided to stay and enjoy the first casual chat she'd had in moons.


	2. Bramblestar

**A/N: Don't judge the prophecy. StarClan will eat your face.**

Kohina tried to keep up with Seedpaw's brisk pace, not used to running long distances at this speed. Lilypaw and Seedpaw seemed to be well adapted, though, and Kohina didn't want to disappoint her first ever friends. Suddenly, the smell of fellow cats overwhelmed her, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

"That's… a lot of cats," Kohina whispered, as if it might alert the entire "Clan".

Lilypaw trotted over to Kohina, "Kohina, is something wrong?" Brushing down the fur on Kohina's back, Lilypaw took on a tender expression. "The Clan cats won't hurt you, I promise."

"Yeah!" Seedpaw batted Kohina's ear playfully. "They're not gonna eat you." Kohina felt better, but suspicion took root in her mind.

Kohina frowned. "But I hunted in your territory. No one is alright with that. Surely your 'Clan' cats aren't, either."

"Uh," Seedpaw's stride faltered. She looked nervous. "Lilypaw?"

Lilypaw sighed. "Not now, Seedpaw, not now." The bounce in their step had left, replaced by a solemn walk as they resumed their journey to the camp. Kohina trembled as she followed, almost tripping over the first branch that framed the entrance of the ThunderClan camp. Lilypaw and Seedpaw slipped through the small gap easily, but Kohina struggled with the branches sticking out of the hole in the brush.

Inside the ThunderClan camp, there were more cats than Kohina had ever encountered combined. Yowling kits frolicked in a little grassy patch near the edge, older cats watched from the opposite side, chatting happily. Strong, agile cats sparred in a smaller patch in the middle. All of them turned to look when Lilypaw, Seedpaw, and Kohina leapt into the clearing. Everyone stared at Kohina, and she crouched instinctively. Lilypaw and Seedpaw bounded up a huge pile of boulders into a crevice on the face of the rock wall.

Yet another cat emerged from what must be a den. His bearing was regal, but clearly laced with grief. His voice was deep and strong as he began to speak. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" All the cats in the camp rose, stretching and padding over to the pile of boulders.

"You all recall the prophecy we received a moon ago. _The four will continue, and the Sun will lead_. We thought this 'Sun' was Lionblaze," the dark tabby tom nodded to a golden furred cat sitting on the edge of the group. "We've never been inclined to seek out loners to join us. However, when Jayfeather had a dream of a young loner with eyes of the Sun, we knew the true meaning. Kohina could be that cat." The dark leader turned to stare at Kohina with fierce, amber eyes. "Will you agree to become a ThunderClan apprentice, learn the Warrior Code and train with the others, while we learn more about the prophecy?"

Kohina gaped. A chance at a real home, real friends, was just offered to her on the premise of a dream. Kohina frowned, confused, but replied anyway. "Yes, thanks. I won't disappoint you."

"Then come forward, Kohina." Kohina jumped up the rocks, coming to a stop in front of the tabby tom. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Sunpaw. Your mentor will be Dovewing. I hope Dovewing will pass down all she knows to you." He paused. "Dovewing?" The leader finally addressed a soft white she-cat.

"Yes, Bramblestar." She climbed the rocks with ease, anticipating his decision.

"Dovewing, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Lionblaze, and you have shown yourself to be clever and a truly skilled hunter. You will be the mentor of Sunpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her." Bramblestar tipped his head to Dovewing, and the newly named Sunpaw touched the tip of her nose to Dovewing's. They seemed surprised at this, and Sunpaw wondered if she'd done something wrong. To her relief, Bramblestar just shrugged and dismissed the meeting with a flick of his tail.

"Sunpaw, let me show you to your new den." Dovewing sounded ill at ease. Sunpaw dashed after Dovewing, the warrior's long strides longer than her own. Once inside the den of thick brambles, Dovewing turned to Sunpaw, spinning on the tips of her paws.

Sunpaw started, surprised by the sheer speed of the maneuver. "What?!"

Dovewing dug her claws into a small nest, glaring at Sunpaw. "Where are you from? Are you sure you're not a rogue? How do you know you've never been a Clan cat?" Dovewing noticed her own unsheathed claws about halfway through her rant and drew them in, embarrassed. "You can't possibly have been a loner this whole time. I-" Dovewing broke off with an irritated hiss.

"Of course I'm sure," Sunpaw stated slowly. "I've been a loner my entire life. I've never known anything else."

"Then how did you know the entire procedure of the apprentice ceremony?" Dovewing lashed her tail in frustration, pacing across the den. "Never mind, I'm sorry, it's just odd."

Sunpaw thought hard about what Dovewing had said. "No. Don't be. It is weird… it just felt natural. Everyone was wondering if I'd do it, too. They were tense, like they thought I'd do something wrong."

"How could you know that?" Dovewing was dumbfounded.

"Like I said, I can just feel it, what they're thinking. Just like you can feel what your opponent will do in battle, or a fire that's approaching. Where they'll go." Sunpaw felt a sudden, desperate need to go to sleep. "By the way, should I get some moss from that pile in between the rocks or take some damp moss from the trees behind the camp?"

"I don't know if…" Dovewing trailed off, staring into the distance. She snapped back to reality, eyeing Sunpaw with a slight smile. "I think we've found our cat. Take your moss from underneath the rock, I need you at your best for tomorrow."


	3. Fire

Sunpaw glared at the light peeking through the bramble roof of the den. She was having such a lovely sleep, why'd the Sun have to come and ruin it? Noticing the sleeping apprentices around her, Sunpaw edged her way cautiously through the small nests. Her dream wouldn't allow for any further sleep anyway. Sunpaw thought back to the cat in her dream, watching her from afar, observing her as she chased mice and rabbits through a serene meadow. When the strange cat spoke, its voice was like starred waves across silk. Much like the stars in its pelt, Sunpaw had realized. What it had said, Sunpaw didn't remember, but it was something along the lines of "the fourth has come, the Sun is here!" If she was that Sun, Sunpaw didn't know. It sure sounded like it, though.

"Sunpaw!" Dovewing's voice rang across the clearing.

Sunpaw stretched before answering. "What is it?"

"It's time to train. Are you ready?" Dovewing had cleared the space between them in seconds, almost effortlessly. Sunpaw shrugged noncommittally, and Dovewing started towards the exit with Sunpaw in tow. The early morning air was crisp, but Sunpaw noticed and acrid tang to the otherwise pleasant scent.

Dovewing's pace was faster than Sunpaw would have liked, but she didn't complain. Better to be tired soon than weak later. Dovewing slowed not long after Sunpaw's thought, much to Sunpaw's relief. "Where are we going?" Sunpaw panted, wishing she'd run more often beforehand. This Clan thing would take more than the Loner life did.

Dovewing didn't say anything, but Sunpaw shied back when the pungent odor grew almost overpowering. "What is that smell, Dovewing?"

Dovewing frowned. "What smell, Sunpaw?" Just then, her nose twitched. Dovewing sneezed, and Sunpaw went racing into the forest, right towards the hidden clearing. The unmistakable crackling of flames didn't reach Dovewing until Sunpaw was nearly to the hidden expanse of moss and grass that served as a training area for the growing apprentices. "Sunpaw," Dovewing gasped, hurtling after the young cat.

Sunpaw was crouched at the edge of the smoking glade, peering into the haze. The terrified yowling of another apprentice was coming from the opposite side. Dovewing was there, too, calling out the name of the young cat. "Molepaw!"

Sunpaw finally saw the fuzzy silhouette of 'Molepaw'. Sunpaw leapt into the center of the fire, despite Dovewing's warning growl. The smoldering patch of grass was one of the few not ablaze in the torrent of flames. Molepaw's image was clearer, now, a cat barely older than Sunpaw. Even from here, Sunpaw could smell his fear. "I'm comi-" Sunpaw almost vomited at the sudden rush of smoke flowing into her lungs. Eyes burning, Sunpaw almost missed her jump into the warm gap between the roots where Molepaw resided.

"Sunpaw!" Dovewing squinted through the screen of smoke, but something was clouding her mind, rendering her senses all but useless. Coughing, she made her way out into the clearer forest behind her. Why didn't she sense the fire earlier? Clearly Sunpaw had, earlier than she'd let on. A faint response came from the trees on the other side. Dovewing rushed around the thick treeline, weaving through the trunks and branches until she reached another wall of flame. "SUNPAW!" Dovewing screamed into the fiery expanse, trying to find the little voice of her apprentice.

A grinding sound came from above Dovewing's head, the only warning before two tiny cats landed on her back. "Hi, Dovewing." Sunpaw's muffled voice came from underneath Molepaw's shaking body. Dovewing laughed, helping Sunpaw ease Molepaw off of her back.

The trek back to the camp was exhausting, Molepaw's weight more than Sunpaw had expected for a cat of his size. Dovewing tried to assist Sunpaw as much as possible, but she was limping from being pushed to the ground by two apprentices. Sunpaw felt bad about hurting Dovewing, but all she could really do was put it to the back of her mind and focus on not dropping Molepaw.

By the time they did reach the camp, Sunpaw was ready to collapse. She promptly did so as Dovewing pulled Molepaw off of her back.

"Jayfeather," Dovewing called to the gray tabby standing by a small crevice in the rock wall of the camp. Withdrawing his claw from the gap, Jayfeather trotted over to Dovewing and Sunpaw. The she-cat handed the unconscious Molepaw off to Jayfeather, and proceeded to drag Sunpaw into the medicine den.

Jayfeather pulled Dovewing aside as soon as Sunpaw and Molepaw had been helped into their nests. He didn't speak until he'd examined Dovewing's bad leg and began to look at the rest of her aching body. "What happened? That's the fourth fire this moon." Jayfeather's tone was tinged with defeat, and Dovewing smoothed his rising fur with her tail. He sighed and let the young warrior continue, much to Dovewing's surprise.

"And how're you holding up?" Dovewing curled her tail around her paws. When Jayfeather didn't answer, Dovewing frowned. There was definitely something up. "How's Briarlight been?" At that, Jayfeather stiffened, and Dovewing finally realized what was going on. "Her cough is coming back."

Jayfeather nodded. "I don't know if it will get better this time. The fires keep coming, and the smoke from the third one got her. It hasn't gotten anything but worse since then." He gazed into the tiny cleft where Briarlight slept. They'd found the place two moons ago, and it was the perfect home for Briarlight. "I feel helpless."

Over the past few moons, everyone in the Clan had been growing closer. Fire was ravaging the lakeside where ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan made their homes. It was almost like StarClan themselves were trying to kill them. That, or the residents of the Dark Forest had made their return. Probably the latter. The memory of the intense battle between the good and evil was still fresh in the minds of every cat who'd fought in it.

Jayfeather walked over to Molepaw when he'd started coughing. There was a distinct rasp to his voice when Molepaw spoke timidly, "where is Sunpaw?"


End file.
